Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Gather at the start hotel in La Garita de Alajuela, around a 15-minute drive from San José airport. There’s nothing planned today, so you’ll take time to relax and prepare for the exciting adventures ahead.

Accommodation: Hotel La Rosa de América (or similar)

After breakfast, you have a short welcome briefing and spend time adjusting your bikes before riding out on paved roads with very little traffic through small rural communities and a dry tropical forest. This initial stage will finish at Cebadilla, where you will transfer approximately 40 minutes for lunch at Casita de Café, high above Atenas. After lunch, you will transfer 45 minutes to embark on the private, guided boat tour of the Tárcoles estuary. Hopefully you’ll see crocodiles, waterbirds and even scarlet macaws. After, you’ll take a roughly 45-minute transfer to the beach hotel at Playa Bejuco. If tide and sand conditions permit, you’ll be able to fit in more cycling and arrive at the hotel riding on the immense tropical beach. The full tour briefing will take place following dinner at the hotel.

(Extra 6.2mi/10km for beach ride option)

Accommodation: Hotel Playa Bejuco (or similar)

Today you will start with an early-morning transfer (approximately one hour) to arrive at the renowned Manuel Antonio National Park just as it opens. The 7am arrival will give you the best opportunity for wildlife spotting. The extended visit also gives time for a longer walk on the newly renovated and less visited Punta Catedral trail, as well as a special treat: a swim at the beautiful white-sand beach set within the park, one of Costa Rica’s best beaches. Leaving Manuel Antonio behind, you’ll transfer approximately one hour to Playa Dominicalito, where you’ll enjoy a late lunch at at the fabulous La Parcela restaurant, which offers great meals, spectacular views and plenty of wildlife – don’t let the monkeys steal your food! Following lunch, you’ll transfer 15 minutes to accommodation in the rainforest at Villas Rio Mar.

Accommodation: Villas Rio Mar (or similar)

Today you cycle South along the coastal road, which includes a few hilly sections near Uvita and Ojochal. The first destination of the day is Uvita Waterfall for a refreshing dip in the emerald waters; an ideal place to cool off from the heat of the day. Departing Uvita, you’ll transfer to Palmar Sur, where you can observe the famous stone spheres produced by the ancient Boruca indigenous culture of this region and have a look at the remnants of the old United Fruit Company banana operation.

Departing Palmar Sur in the bus, you’ll head to Mirador Mogos for lunch then resume cycling at Rincón on the Osa Peninsula, where you will ride a second biking stage to Agua Dulce Beach Resort.

Accommodation: Agua Dulce Lodge (or similar)

Today is free for you to relax and recharge in the gorgeous surroundings of Agua Dulce. It’s possible to swim at Playa Pan Dulce, do some kayaking, or for those who wish to cycle, there’s a flat gravel/dirt round-trip stage (27mi/43km) out to the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula. Your tour leader can help to book optional activities; most require advance booking and a minimum number of participants. A fantastic option is the sunset kayak tour and if the bioluminescence is occurring, you’re in for a spectacular treat!

Accommodation: Agua Dulce Lodge (or similar)

This morning you’ll take a 45-minute transfer to Mirador Osa (Osa Viewpoint), where you can take in spectacular views over the Golfo Dulce and Osa Peninsula. You’ll then hop on the bikes for a scenic cycle through the hills and rainforest of the Osa Peninsula to Chacarita. Following a bus transfer (1hr 30mins) across the steep mountains surrounding San Vito, you’ll arrive at Las Cruces Biological Station, which is surrounded by the Wilson Botanical Gardens, where you will take a guided nature walk in the afternoon.

Accommodation: OTS Las Cruces Lodge (or similar)

Back in the saddle, you’ll enjoy a fantastic downhill ride from the hilly region near San Vito to Paso Real, far below at the Rio Terraba. You’ll pass through an indigenous area where villagers can sometimes be seen in traditional dress. You can stop near Buenos Aires for lunch before boarding the bus for the two-hour transfer to San Gerardo de Rivas. Here, you’ll take a break close to one of the vast pineapple plantations for the tour leader to give some background on pineapple cultivation in this region – the fruit is Costa Rica’s number one export crop. The hotel tonight is in the mountains, so it may be chillier than you expect.

Accommodation: El Pelicano Mountain Lodge (or similar)

This morning you’ll start with a short downhill stage before jumping on the bus for a transfer that will take you over the Cerro de La Muerte. At 11,617ft (3,541m) above sea level, this is the highest point on the PanAm Highway in Central America. You’ll enjoy an extended lunch stop en route, where you can be greeted by multiple species of hummingbirds. On this stretch, you’ll drive through rainforest, up into the cloud forest before descending towards the Central Valley. From here, you’ll get back on the bikes for another downhill into the Orosi Valley.

Accommodation: Hotel Alma de Luna (or similar)

After breakfast, you’ll leave the hotel for one of the most beautiful cycling routes on this trip, past numerous coffee plantations. With any luck, you’ll see farmers using their colourful traditional oxcarts to haul their crop to nearby processing facilities, as well as multitudes of Costa Rican cyclists enjoying their Sunday on this fantastic stage. Along the way, you will stop at a coffee field and learn more about coffee and its role in Costa Rican history from the tour leader. As you continue through the valley, you’ll ride around a hydroelectric dam before starting a section that involves some climbs. You’ll then descend to the small town of Tucurrique and continue on through sugar cane plantations, taking lunch near Eslabon then transferring five minutes up to the hotel for the night. The mountain lodge has excellent views, including over the coffee growing Orosi Valley and both the Irazu and Turrialba volcanoes.

Accommodation: Hotel Turrialtico (or similar)

After breakfast, you’ll start cycling a hilly section with incredible views, followed by a fast downhill to the town of Siquirres, where you will board the coach and transfer to the Caribbean coast. Depending on the arrival time this afternoon, there may be time to enjoy a guided walk in Cahuita National Park before your transfer (approximately 15 minutes) to Puerto Viejo, a Caribbean town with lively reggae music and culture and spicy cuisine.

Accommodation: Hotel Escape Caribeño (or similar)

Today is a very early start as you have a transfer of approximately one hour to Santa Rosa for breakfast. Continue (approximately 1hr 30min) to the beginning of the backroads biking stage, which takes you through several small towns within the immense banana plantations. You’ll stop for lunch near these plantations and the leader will explain the harvesting and packaging process, as well as the importance of these plantations to Costa Rica.

After, you’ll transfer (approximately one hour) to La Pavona and board a boat to Tortuguero National Park along the wildlife-rich rivers and canals used for transiting in this densely forested area.

Accommodation: Pachira Lodge (or similar)

An early morning boat trip allows you to discover the extraordinary flora and fauna of Tortuguero. At this time, wildlife is usually at its most active. With the help of the expert guide, you are likely to encounter monkeys, caiman, iguanas, butterflies and many of the 300-plus bird species here. You’ll retrace your route by boat to the dock at La Pavona where you will start cycling through banana plantations,  The morning ride complete, you’ll have a transfer (approximately 1h 30min, plus lunch) to just outside Guapiles for an early lunch provided by the Tortuguero lodge. After, you’ll continue towards La Fortuna and Arenal volcano (approximately one and a half hours). Following a massive explosion in 1968, Arenal was the most active volcano in Costa Rica until recently when it entered a resting phase. En route, you will take a break to observe thriving pineapple operations, before continuing to the town-centre hotel. This evening there is an included excursion to Volcano Lodge hot springs.

Accommodation: Hotel San Bosco (or similar)

Following a short transfer, the final cycling stage starts with a ride through the dense rainforest surrounding beautiful Lake Arenal, with several spots to observe the volcano as you continue back toward La Fortuna. Upon reaching town, there is some free time for souvenir shopping and to enjoy lunch. The last leg of the journey is completed by bus as you transfer (approximately two hours) back to La Garita de Alajuela.

Accommodation: Hotel La Rosa de América (or similar)

Your trip ends this morning after breakfast.